Two catcher trade candidates the Braves could target

With Sean Murphy now expected to miss around three months after suffering a fractured middle finger last weekend, the Atlanta Braves have a very clear need at catcher.

Sandy León is a competent fill-in for the time being, but he’s appeared in just 27 major-league games since the start of the 2023 season for a reason, hitting a rough .145 with a .412 OPS over that stretch. He’s not someone the Braves should want playing regularly, and if anything were to happen to Drake Baldwin — even a minor injury — León would suddenly become the primary catcher.

Given there’s no guarantee Murphy will be right again this season, this is not a situation where the Braves should wait until the trade deadline. Alex Anthopoulos has likely been fielding calls since the moment Murphy’s injury was revealed, and while trades are more difficult this time of year, they certainly are not impossible.

We just saw a two-time Gold Glove catcher moved last week in Patrick Bailey, and all it took for the Cleveland Guardiansto acquire him was a low-level prospect.

Despite what some fans may think, the Braves probably are not considering trading Murphy right now. He still carries value as a secondary option behind Baldwin, and it’s not like the market for a catcher that has dealt with constant injuries over the last three seasons and is owed $15 million annually through 2028 is going to be overwhelming.

Atlanta isn’t searching for a long-term answer. They just need someone more reliable than León.

Travis d’Arnaud

The Los Angeles Angels once again find themselves near the bottom of the standings with little hope of making a postseason push, and d’Arnaud is an aging veteran in the final year of his contract.

He hasn’t been particularly productive since leaving Atlanta, hitting .198 with seven home runs over the last two seasons. He’s also currently on the IL with plantar fasciitis, so any move would likely have to wait until he’s healthy. Still, a return to the organization where he played the best baseball of his career could make sense, and the Braves already know exactly what they’d be getting from him as a clubhouse leader.

If the Angels continue falling further out of contention, this is definitely a name worth monitoring.

Ryan Jeffers

If the Braves wanted to aim a little higher, Jeffers makes a lot of sense.

Over the last three seasons, he’s produced very solid offensive numbers, hitting .252 with 36 home runs and a .766 OPS. He’s also a pending free agent, and the Minnesota Twins are one of several fringe contenders that could decide to reset ahead of the trade deadline.

The issue is Jeffers may simply be too attractive of an option. He’s currently hitting .299 with a .948 OPS this season, which will lead to a strong market if Minnesota makes him available.